This recipe was first published in the June 2013 City Natural Therapies newsletter. Sign up to have it delivered free to your inbox each month.

I love miso soup – from a small serve for breakfast with a little ginger, spring onions, mushroom and tofu, to a full sized meal with lots of vegetables, protein and rice noodles. ‘Big bowl miso’ is the perfect meal for one, with minimal washing up.

Big bowl miso

(Quantity for one large bowl, multiply for more servings)

A handful of thin rice noodles, broken in half and covered with boiling water (you can use your serving bowl for this).

Water or simple fish stock – equivalent to 2/3 of your serving bowl
3 thin slices root ginger
1 small carrot, thinly sliced or julienned
3-5 mushrooms (preferably shitake but button mushrooms ok), thinly sliced
1 spring onion, sliced on the diagonal
Other vegetables as desired, eg shredded cabbage, broccoli or celery
Protein: a palm sized piece of tofu, chicken or fish – cubed or sliced
1 tablespoon miso paste – try shiro (white) or hatcho (dark)
Tamari (optional but you may need it with the milder shiro miso)

Break noodles in half and soak in boiling water.

Place water or fish stock in a saucepan and add sliced vegetables. Once it comes to a boil drop to a gentle simmer and add protein.

Check that the noodles are soft and then strain in a sieve.

It will only take a few minutes to cook the protein and soften the vegetables – this is a dish that takes longer to eat than cook. Scoop out a little of the cooking water and mix with the miso in a small bowl. Make sure there are no lumps then return the miso water to the simmering pot. Never boil miso. Check for flavour as you may need to add a little more miso depending on the type you’re using or add a teaspoon or two of  tamari.

Place noodles in the bowl then top with the soup. It’s easiest to eat with chopsticks and a spoon.

This recipe is gluten-free and can be vegan

Gently simmering

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